Full listing
by year
1981-1986

1898-1919 ]  [ 1920-1945 ]  [ 1946-1961 ]  [ 1962-1969 ]  [ 1970-1980 ]  [ 1981-1986 ]
1987-1993 ]  [ 1994-1998 ]  [ 1999-2001 ]  [ 2002-2005 ]  [ 2006-2010 ]  [ 2011-2024 ]

Sphinx
USA, 1981

Lesley-Anne Down, Frank Langella, John Gielgud
Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner

  

Egyptologist Erica Baron gets involved in the antiquities black market when she discovers a statue of king Seti I from an unknown tomb in an Egyptian antiquities shop. Shortly thereafter the shop owner is killed, the statue disappears and she finds herself in the midst of a deadly conflict between rivalling antiquities gangs, while at the same time trying to discover the secret location of the unknown tomb.

Based on a novel by Robin Cook. Shot entirely on location in Egypt, this film is simply great fun for egyptology lovers.

Raiders of the Lost Ark
USA, 1981

Harrison Ford, Karen Allen
Directed by Stephen Spielberg

  

"Indiana Jones--the new hero from the creators of JAWS and STAR WARS."

Renowned archeologist Dr. Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. Government to find the Ark of the Covenant, which is believed to still hold the ten commandments. Their search takes them to the archaeological site of Tanis in Egypt where the Ark is presumably buried. Unfortunately, agents of Hitler are also after the Ark and make the quest pretty miserable for Indy and his old flame Marion.

Through the Magic Pyramid
USA, 1981

Hans Conried, Vic Tayback, Chris Barnes
Directed by Ron Howard

  

A kid named Bobby Tuttle uses a small glass pyramid and discovers that he can transport himself back and forth through time to ancient Egypt. While there, he meets King Tut. When Tut is kidnapped, it's up to Bobby and Tut's sister to rescue him from some power-hungry elders.

Outstanding childrens program features a story in king Tutankhamen's time. Also known as "Tut and Tuttle".

Dawn of the Mummy
USA, 1981

Brenda King, Joan Levy, Ellen Faison
Directed by Frank Agrama

  

"They came from the dead ... To feast on the living..."

A group of fashion models disturb the tomb of a mummy and revive an ancient curse. Along with the mummy rising, slaves who were buried in the desert thousands of years before, also rise, with a craving for human flesh.

Gallipoli
Australia, 1981

Mel Gibson, Bill Kerr, Bernard Lee
Directed by Peter Weir

  

In 1915 two Australian soldiers cross continents and great oceans, climb the pyramids and walk through the ancient sands of Egypt to join their regiment at the fateful battle of Gallipoli, the legendary World War I confrontation between Australia and the German allied Turks in an effort to take the Dardenelles from the Turkish Empire.

La Momia Nacional
Spain, 1981

Francisco Algora, Azucena Hernàndez, Quique Camoiras, José Jaime Espinosa
Directed by Josè Ramon Larraz

  

An Egyptian princess becomes a genuine bimbo when unwrapped.

Horror comedy. English title: "The National Mummy".

The 20,000 Drachma Pyramid
USA, 1981

TV-series The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang

Fonzie, Richie and Ralph meet up with a futuristic girl named Cupcake who landed her traveling time machine in front of Arnolds in 1957. In this episode in ancient Egypt, the Fonz and company try to prevent Ra from claiming the throne from the Queen. (source: www.bcdb.com)

Episode 9 (1st season) from the "The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang" animated cartoon series, made after the TV's prime time comedy series "Happy Days". Made by the Hanna-Barbera Studios. Running Time 30 minutes. Color.

Murder Wrap
USA, 1981

TV-series Hart to Hart

Robert Wagner, Stefanie Powers, Lionel Stander
Directed by Michael Hiatt

  

During an Opening Night party for a new Egyptian exhibit at the museum, the man who discovered the tomb is found murdered in a sarcophagus. Jonathan and Jennifer Hart become involved when Jennifer becomes the target of the man behind the mummy who thinks she is the queen of an Egyptian pharaoh.

Episode 28 of the popular television series "Hart to Hart", which ran from 1979 to 1984.

Antony and Cleopatra
UK/USA, 1981

John Paul, Jonathan Adams, Jane Lapotaire
Directed by Jonathan Miller

  

TV-adaptation of the classic Shakespeare play. Part of the BBC Television Shakespeare project, a series of adaptations of the 36 so-called First Folio plays staged specifically for television.

The Curse of Tutrockmen
USA, 1981

TV-series The Flintstones Comedy Show

Pebbles und Dino meet a mysterious mummy on their visit to the Egyptian Museum.

Episode from the 1980-1982 animated series "The Flintstones Comedy Show", an educational follow-up of the original and legendary series "The Flintstones". Each ninety-minute episode features a variety of crafts and spelling games for the kids in-between six mini-segments of various lengths.

Dear Mummy
USA, 1981

TV-series Quincy, M.E.

Jack Klugman, Garry Walberg, Diane Markoff
Directed by Georg Fenady

  

The smuggling of Nazi-held gems from Cairo to Los Angeles in an Egyptian mummy leaves several corpses in its wake. A typical case for Quincy.

Episode 91 (season 6) of the television series "Quincy, M.E." about a crusading medical examiner in Los Angeles, an expert at his job who was always capable of finding something that everyone else missed. The series ran for 148 episodes between 1976 and 1983.

Succession
USA, 1981

TV-series Into the Labyrinth

Simeon Andrews, Suzi Arden, Mark Buffery
Directed by Peter Graham Scott

  

In this episode the children Phil, Helen and Terry look for the good sorcerer Rothgo in ancient Egypt at the time of Tutankhamun's burial, and seek a final desperate solution to evil sorcerer'Belor's powers.

Episode from the British children's television series "Into the Labyrinth" (1980-1982), based around the struggle of two timeless feuding sorcerers - the noble Rothgo and the evil Belor. The first two seasons followed a group of modern-day children (Phil, Helen and Terry) who find Rothgo, almost lifeless, in a labyrinthine cave. Rothgo sends the children through different periods of time to search for the Nidas, a magical object of limitless power and which is disguised as a different object in each time period. Thus the children arrive at various points of history.

Lucifer Rising
USA/UK/Germany, 1981

Donald Cammell, Marianne Faithfull, Myriam Gibril
Directed by Kenneth Anger

  

Kenneth Anger's "Lucifer Rising" is inspired by the works of the notorious occultist Aleister Crowley and illustrates a transcendental journey through cinematic manipulation of time and space involving specific sites of transcendence and a key to get there. The actors in this visual spectacle are recognizable mythical figures such as Lucifer, Lilith, Isis and Osiris. A large number of the scenes concern communication between Isis and Osiris through the forces of nature, provoking meteorological reactions in preparation for Lucifer's arrival. Lightning issues forth from the staffs and emblems of the deities and nature replies with rosy dawns, whirlpools, and emissions of molten rock, while the sun goes into eclipse. A large number of the scenes involving rituals of worship were actually filmed on location in Egypt. The music score was composed by Bobby Beausoleil while serving a prison sentence for murder.

Prophecy of Peril
USA, 1981

TV-series Thundarr the Barbarian

Directed by John Kimball
John Kimball, Rudy Larriva

  

Thundarr, Princess Ariel and Ookla the Mok must find the three women who are fated to stop a sorceror called Valior. One of them is an ancient queen called Maya, who lies in a tomb under the ancient city that she once ruled. She and the other two women - one of whom is a hermit who wields a staff that gives her super-strength, and the other a model from 1980s Earth - combine their powers in order to stop the evil wizard, sending him back in time and destroying the Gem of Power, from which he derives his magic. Maya is depicted in the cartoon as a duplicate of Cleopatra, even wearing the famed pharaoh's headdress and ancient Egyptian garb; she is an elementalist, a person who can transform herself into any one of the four elements.

Episode 18 from the animated television cartoon series "Thundarr the Barbarian", loosely inspired by R.E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian. In a kind of post-apocalyptic world, Thundarr, a muscular warrior, and his companions Princess Ariel and Ookla the Mok travel the world on horseback and battled evil wizards who combine magical spells with technologies from the pre-catastrophe world. The only Egyptian element in this series is limited to the figure of queen Maya depicted as Cleopatra.

Secret of the Sphinx
France/Japan, 1981

TV-series Ulysses 31 (宇宙伝説ユリシーズ31)

  

Passing through the domain of the 'Great Sphinx', a planet full of pyramids and Egyptian elements, Ulysses must answer his riddle to leave safely. However, the sphinx's treacherous daughter kidnaps the children and plots to make Ulysses her slave.

Episode 9 from the Franco-Japanese animated adventure series "Ulysses 31" (宇宙伝説ユリシーズ31 or "Uchū Densetsu Yurishīzu Sātīwan") that ran for the total of 26 episodes in 1981. It features Homer's story of the journey of Odysseus, brought into the thirty-first century.

Forever Blowing Baubles
USA, 1981

TV-series Enos

Sonny Shroyer, John Dehner

  

An ancient Egyptian ruby is stolen from a museum and Enos employs some ancient country skills to get it back.

Episode from the television series "Enos", a spin-off of the popular series "The Dukes of Hazzard", focused on the adventures of Enos Strate, a former small-town deputy in Hazzard County who has now joined the Los Angeles Police Department. The series lasted only one season of 18 episodes.

Lost in Translation
USA, 1981

TV-series Darkroom

James Coburn, Whit Bissell, Cyndy Garvey
Directed by Rick Rosenthal

  

Archaeologist Dr. Paul Hudson hires a translator to decode an ancient Egyptian scroll (source: IMdb).

Episode 6 from the series "Darkroom" that ran for 7 episodes (16 segments) in 1981 and 1982. It was an American television thriller anthology series produced for television. Each 60-minute episode featured two or more stories of varying length with a new story and a new cast. Each of the episode wraparound segments was hosted by James Coburn.

Time Walker
USA, 1982

Ben Murphy, Royce Alexander, Nina Axelrod
Directed by Tom Kennedy III

  

"For eons they traveled the galaxies. For centuries one was trapped in a pharaoh's tomb. Now he is free". A newly acquired Egyptian sarcophagus is opened in a university laboratory. By accident the mummy is revived with an overdose of x-rays and soon goes looking for his first victims.

Later re-issued under the title "Being from Another Planet".

L'Occio del Male
Italy, 1982

Christopher Connelly
Directed by Lucio Fulci

  

Archaelogists open an egyptian tomb and thereby release an evil spirit. The daughter of one of the professors gets possessed by the freed enity and the gorey murders begin.

English title: "Manhattan Baby".

Escarabajos Asesinos
Spain/USA, 1982

Rip Torn, Robert Ginty, Cristina Sánchez Pascual
Directed by Steven-Charles Jaffe

  

A scientist awakens an Egyptian entity and becomes the leader of a sect of killer fanatics who's goal is to eliminate the most powerful men in the world. A reporter finds out that all the victims have a little scarab-shaped amulet on them: the symbol of the cult's self-created god.

English (video) title: "Scarab"

O Segredo da Múmia
Brazil, 1982

Jose Mojica Marins
Directed by Ivan Cardoso

  

Professor Vitus devotes himself to the reconstitution of a map which has been divided into eight parts. The owners of these parts are being mysteriously murdered. Having collected all parts he travels to Egypt and makes the most important archaeological discovery of the century: the tomb of Runamb. Back in Brasil, the professor brings Runamb's mummy back to life. A terrible mistake, because the mummy used to be a dangerous psychopathic murderer obsessed with the image of a dancer who once turned him down.

English title: "The Secret of the Mummy".

Trunk from the Past
USA, 1982

TV-series Tales of the Gold Monkey

Stephen Collins, Jeff MacKay, Caitlin O'Heaney
Directed by Christian I. Nyby

"It looks Egyptian. Maybe there is some curse on it like king Tut's tomb!"

Sarah first receives the ancient Egyptian trunk that her father was murdered upon and then a visit from her ex-fiance, who's searching for the temple of Amon-Ra. Jake seems far less afraid of becoming a victim of the pharaoh's curse than admitting his feelings for Sarah and making a commitment.

Episode of the not-so-successful tv-series "Tales of the Gold Monkey".

Tutankhamun's Gold Throne
كرسي توت عنخ آمون الذهبي

Egypt, 1982

Directed by Shadi Abdel Salam (شادي عبدالسلام)

Salah, a boy, wanders about with his uncle through the Cairo museum, where he is fascinated by the statues and especially the restauration work in progress on Tutankhamun's throne. His uncle tells him the story of ancient Egypt and of the relation between Tutankhamun and Akhenaten.

One of three docudrama's by renowned Egyptian filmmaker Shadi Abdel Salam produced to spread awareness of the ancient Egyptian heritage between 1982 en 1986. The other two are Al Ahramat Wama Kablaha (الأهرامات وما قبلها) in 1984 and Ann Ramses Al Thany (رع مسيس الثاني) in 1986.

Shalom Pharao
Germany, 1982

Directed by Curt Linda

  

Highly praised comical version for young children of the biblical story of Joseph and his brothers.

Ernie and Bert Explore a Pyramid
USA, 1982

TV-series Sesame Street

  

Ernie and Bert explore an Egyptian pyramid. Bert is excited, but Ernie is afraid. They see statues that look like them. Bert decides to explore a tunnel while Ernie looks at the statues, and then the Ernie statue starts tapping and talking to Ernie. But when Ernie calls Bert back to the room, the statue doesn't move. Ernie is scared until the statue starts singing Rubber Duckie with him. Bert doesn't believe Ernie, until he says "Bye-bye, statue," and the statue replies "Bye-bye!" and laughs... just like Ernie.

Sketch from episode 1706 (season 14; 1982-1983) of the kids television series "Sesame Street". One of several sketches with Ernie and Bert venturing outside of their normal terrain.

Cleo and the Babe
USA, 1982

TV-series Voyagers!

Michael Gregory, William Lucking, Andrea Marcovicci
Directed by Bernard McEveety

  

The Voyagers inadvertently bring Cleopatra forward in time to prohibition-era New York City, where she encounters gangster Lucky Luciano.

Episode 6 from the time travel-based animated series "Voyagers!". This series is about Phineas Bogg, one of a society of time travelers called Voyagers who, with the help of a young boy named Jeffrey Jones, travel in time to ensure that history unfolds as we know it.

Mind Your Manners, Dr. Dred
USA, 1982

TV-series Drack Pack

  

Blue-skinned evil genius Dr. Dred plots to steal the golden artifacts of the Egyptian king Tut-Tut and put the blame on the Drak Pack.

Episode from the animated television series "Drack Pack", centred around three young men named Drak, Frankie and Howler who are descendants of Dracula, Frankenstein's monster and a werewolf. To atone for their ancestors' wrongdoings, the three, united as the Drak Pack, became superheroes. A total of 16 episodes were made.

Peril in the Pyramids
USA, 1982

TV-series Battle of The Planets

On Earth, one of the oldest Egyptian temples of Amon-Ra has gone missing. 7-Zark-7 locates it on planet Alpha Three at the edge of the galaxy. This is the planet where Earth sends all of its criminals and their families to make fresh starts. Chief Anderson orders G-Force to the hot desert planet to find out what is going on. (source: battleoftheplanets.net)

Episode 69 from the American animated television adaptation of the 1970's Japanese anime series "Science Ninja Team Gatchaman" (科学忍者隊ガッチャマン or Kagaku Ninjatai Gatchaman). The series centers around a team of people called G-Force who protect Earth from the planet Spectra and other attacks from beyond space. The team has superhuman agility and demonstrations of power in the shape of a tornado-like, spinning force "Whirlwind Pyramid" form.

Deux heures moins le quart avant Jésus-Christ
France, 1982

Michel Serrault, Mimi Coutelier, Coluche
Directed by Jean Yanne

  

This French comedy tells the not-so-epic tale of Marcel Ben-Hur, a chariot driver in North Africa. When Caesar arrives on an imperial vacation, the people choose Marcel to lead a revolt. A smoking Cleopatra (Camel brand, of course) is on hand to save the day.

6. episode
Norway, 1982

TV-series Brødrene Dal og spektralsteinene

Lars Mjøen, Knut Lystad, Trond Kirkvaag
Directed by Eivind Aaeng, Kalle Fürst

  

Using the time machine they built, two brothers land in ancient Egypt where they separate to find a special stone.

Episode 6 from the 13-part Norwegian children's tv-series "Brødrene Dal og spektralsteinene" or "The Brothers Dal and the spectral stones". The series features two brothers who assist in an excavation where Professor Slatters tries to find curium 82. In their quest the meet an alien creature who gives the brothers drawings for a time machine, which they construct and use to travel in time.

The Cleopatras
UK, 1983

Amanda Boxer, Prue Clarke, Stephen Greif
Directed by John Frankau

  

An eight-part TV-series depicting the lives of a series of queens of ancient Egypt.

The Hunger
USA, 1983

Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, Susan Sarandon
Directed by Tony Scott

  

An Egyptian vampire lady subsists upon the blood of her lovers who in return don't age.

Der Mann Von Suez
Germany, 1983

Guy Marchand, Horst Frank, Constanze Engelbrecht
Directed by Christian Jaque

Adventure telling the story about the French diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps and the construction of the Suez Canal.

TV mini-series. Of some Egyptological interest because of the 19th century Egyptian setting.

Antony and Cleopatra
USA, 1983

James Avery, Sharon Barr, Michael Billington
Directed by Lawrence Carra

  

Disappointing TV-adaptation of the classic Shakespeare play.

Amen to Amen-Re
USA, 1983

TV-series Whiz Kids

Max Gail, Matthew Laborteaux, Todd Porter, Andrea Elson
Directed by Alf Kjellin

  

Richie solves a hieroglyphic inscription on a tomb, but it seems to be causing uncharacteristic behavior in all those who read it aloud.

Episode 12 of the short lived television series "Whiz Kids", which centers around a bunch of computer nerds fighting crime in their suburban neighborhood with the help of computers.

Don't Eat the Pictures
USA, 1983

TV-series Sesame Street

Directed by Jon Stone

  

The Sesame Street regulars tour New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Just as the museum closes, Big Bird announces that he must stay behind to find Mr. Snuffleupagus. While the others search the entire museum for Big Bird, he and Snuffy befriend Egyptian Prince Sahu, who has been trying to solve a riddle for more than 4,000 years so that he can finally join his parents. The boy prince claims to be under a spell cast by Osiris, the Lord of the Underworld, and asks Big Bird and Snuffy to help him find the answer to the question, "Where does today meet yesterday?" The three wander throughout the museum searching for clues from ancient Egyptian drawings, while the others examine masterpieces and art objects. Cookie Monster has a hard time not trying to eat any of the pictures displaying fruit and other food products.

One-hour special episode of the Sesame Street, the popular children's educational television series starring Muppets characters created by Jim Henson.

Scarab
Spain/USA, 1983

Rip Torn, Robert Ginty, Cristina Sánchez Pascual
Directed by Steven-Charles Jaffe

A former Nazi seeking to gain new power attempts to resurrect an ancient Egyptian god.

El Erótico y Loco Túnel del Tiempo
Spain, 1983

Directed by José A. Rodríguez

  

Young nerdy and horny Perico invents a time machine and uses it for sex tourism. He visits the cavewomen, ancient Egypt, ancient Rome and a Turkish harem, but also the future. However, his real test is in the present. (source: IMDb)

Adieu Bonaparte
وداعا بونابرت

Egypt/France, 1984

Khaled El Nabaoui, Patrice Chéreau, Michel Piccoli
Directed by Youssef Chahine (يوسف شاهين)

  

Moving tale about the arrival of Napoleons's fleet and the famous battle at the piramids to liberate Egypt from the Mamluks, after which friendship is made between the french and the egyptians.

This film does not really have an Egyptological setting, but certainly depicts an interesting view of Napoleon's expedition to Egypt which led to the first scientific description of the ancient monuments.

The Pink Sphinx
Australia, 1984

TV-series Kidd Video

  

Kidd Video and the rest of his basement-band are live-action characters who get forced into a bizarre and animated world by the hands of the evil record producer Master Blaster. The episode "The Pink Sphinx" features a pink Egyptian sphinx that grants wishes to the person who manages to solve its riddle. The series "Kidd Video" ran from 1984 to 1987.

The Curse of the Pharaoh
Canada, 1984

TV-series Inspector Gadget

  

Inspector Gadget must stop M.A.D. agents from looting the tomb of Egyptian pharaoh Poot-Ta-Toot.

Episode 18 of the animated tv-series "Inspector Gadget" that ran from 1983 to 1984.

Thais
Poland, 1984

Dorota Kwiatkowska, Piotr Garlicki, Ewa Harasimowicz
Directed by Ryszard Ber

  

Thais, an Egyptian courtesan, is converted to a life of a penitant by Paphnutius, a holy man. She is taken to a convent in the desert and lives her life in the care of the abbess there. But Paphnutius is changed by the vision of Thais and becomes obsessed with gaining her love and retrieving her from the spiritual world for himself. (source: IMDb)

Based on the novel by Anatole France (1844-1924).

The Mummy's Curse
UK, 1984

TV-series Bananaman

Eric goes on a school trip to the museum and runs into General Blight and Aunty who plan to steal Egyptian treasures from the exhibit. Eric eats a banana and transforms into Bananaman to foil their scheme.

Episode from the animated series "Bananaman" about a schoolboy who leads and amazing double life as himself and action hero Bananaman, essentially a parody of Superman with shades of Captain Marvel. A total of 40 episodes were produced between 1983 and 1986.

Siedem Zyczen
Siedem życzeń

Poland, 1984

Renata Berger, Zbigniew Buczkowski, Witold Debicki

  

7-part Polish mini series about a young boy who rescues an Egyptian cat with ancient powers, called Rademenes, who can talk and who in turn gives the boy seven wishes. However, it turns out that with each wish there come a lot of problems.

The Mystery of the Disappearing Oasis
USA, 1984

TV-series Mr. T

Directed by Rudy Larriva

  

Mr. T and his team go to Egypt to save an Egyptologist lost in a pyramid.

Episode from the short-lived TV-series "Mr. T", an animated spin-off of the legendary 1980's television action series "The A-Team".

Murder in the Museum
USA, 1984

TV-series Partners in Crime

Lynda Carter, Loni Anderson, Leo Rossi, Walter Olkewicz
Directed by Rod Daniel

  

The assistant curator of a museum is found murdered. The lady was very close to Carole, so she sets out to investigate. The prime suspect pleads innocence. The motive is clear, the possession of a valuable Egyptian tablet. (source: tv.com)

Episode 3 from the detective series "Partners in Crime" (USA, 1984) about two women who together run a detective agency. The series ran for 13 episodes only.

Raiders of the Lost Cat Show
USA, 1984

TV-series Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats

Heathcliff takes Sonja to a museum for her birthday. There two shady characters mistake Heathcliff for an old Egyptian cat king that has returned to life. They decide to return him to Egypt.

Episode from the animated television series "Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats" about the adventures of a group of cats who live in a junkyard.

Sogni erotici di Cleopatra
Italy, 1985

Laura Angeli
Directed by Rino Di Silvestro

  

Fresh from Egypt, Cleopatra is left in a big villa somewhere around Rome, courtesy of Caesar. She spends her time dreaming of, and having, many varied sexual adventures.

Also known as "The Erotic Dreams of Cleopatra".

Otherworld
USA, 1985

Sam Groom, Gretchen Corbett
Directed by Corey Allen, Richard Compton (and others)

  

A family on vacation in Egypt get lost while wandering around a pyramid's interior labyrinth. Once outside they appear to be no longer on Earth and meet some unfriendly aliens.

TV series which was cancelled after 8 episodes. The Egyptian context is very limited.

The Tomb
USA, 1985

Cameron Mitchell, John Carradine, David Pearson
Directed by Fred Olen

  

Archaeologist John Banning is in Egypt when he learns of a recently discovered tomb, that of Nefratis, a blood-hungry ancient princess. He and a guide visit the tomb, whereupon Nefratis rises from the dead and angrily snaps off the guide's head. Luckily, Banning manages to escape with artifacts in tow. In America, he sells them to several collectors. However Nefratis appears, still angry, and uses ancient Egyptian magic to make Banning her slave. She then kills one of the collectors, whose son vows to uncover the truth. He seeks Nefratis, while the ancient princess seeks the artifact, killing everyone who gets in her way. (source: www.amctv.com)

La Corte de Faraón
Spain, 1985

Antonio Banderas
Directed by José Luis Sánchez

  

A troupe of Franco-era performers insist upon performing La Corte de Faraón, a forbidden work, and are promptly arrested. As the scantily clad female dancers bide their time in the police station, performing parts of the musical, they arouse the libido of the corrupt police chief--much to the chagrin of the church-appointed censor.

The title and subject of the film refer to a musical by Vicente Lleó, with the llibretto by Guillermo Perrín and Miguel de Palacios. A blend of biblical pastiche, luscious vaudeville, erotics and Art Deco Egyptian chic, La corte del Faraón is a most sophisticated and audacious conception. So much so, indeed, that public performance of the original musical was banned by the Franco regime until as late as 1975. The details of Egyptological interest are limited to the Egyptian elements involved in the performance on stage. English title: "The Court of the Pharaoh".

Young Sherlock Holmes
USA, 1985

Nicholas Rowe, Alan Cox, Sophie Ward
Directed by Barry Levinson

  

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson meet as boys in an English Boarding school. When they discover a plot to murder a series of British women by an Egyptian cult, they move to stop it.

Cinematic Sherlock Holmes adventure for kids, also known as "Young Sherlock Holmes and the Pyramid of Fear". The fact that the script was written by Christopher Columbus, who would later direct the first two Harry Potter movies, has triggered a lot of discussion about similarities between this movie and the later Harry Potter material. Apart from that, the film is also notable for including the first computer-generated character, a knight composed of elements from a stained glass window. The effect was created for Lucasfilm by John Lasseter, who would go on to create Toy Story 10 years later.

King Solomon's Mines
USA, 1985

Richard Chamberlain, Sharon Stone, Herbert Lom
Directed by J. Lee Thompson

  

Quartermain teams up with a damsel-in-distress and the two embark on a series of pitfalls and dangerous situations on their quest to find the lost treasure of King Solomon.

In this film an "18th Dynasty Egyptian treasure" is found, and some scenes have a somewhat Egyptian atmosphere.

Blonde Heat
USA, 1985

John Leslie, David F. Friedman
Directed by Tim McDonald

  

"In 36 B.C., Julius Caesar of Rome paid tribute to Cleopatra of Egypt, by giving her a jeweled dildo endowed by the high priests with magical erotic powers… But invading hordes sacked Alexandria, carrying off this priceless token and the fate of the Maltese dildo remains a mystery to this day…"

Hardcore porn movie featuring (among others) Cleopatra and Caesar. Also known as "The Case of the Maltese Dildo".

Mummy Daddy
USA, 1985

TV-series Amazing Stories

Tom Harrison, Brion James,Tracey Walte
Directed by William Dear

  

An actor dressed as a mummy races from location-filming of a horror movie through a primeval Southern swamp to reach his wife, who is about to give birth. But the locals believe in the eerie legend of Ra Amin Ka, and when they encounter the panicked, bandaged performer, they are positive he is the real deal.

Episode 4 from season 1 of the science fiction tv-series "Amazing Stories" produced by Steven Spielberg. Apart from the 'legend of Ra Amin Ka' and the obligatory mummy on the loose there is nothing of Egyptological interest in this particular episode.

Cleopatra's Bondage Revenge
USA, 1985

Michelle Bauer

  

An archeologist and his female assistant have dug up a mummy, but they didn't open the sarcophagus yet. The archeologist is constantly sexually harassing the female assistant, but she resists his advances. He leaves the tent and leaves the assistant in charge of watching the mummy. But she decides that she's going to open up the sarcophagus and unwrap the mummy. It turns out that Cleopatra herself is the mummy. When the assistant accidentally burns one of the scrolls found in the tomb, Cleopatra comes to life. Well, Cleopatra, being used to having servants, makes the pretty blonde assistant her handmaiden and shows her the meaning of discipline by stripping her, and then spanking her with a paddle. Cleopatra then shows the handmaiden a little love and affection. When they're done, the handmaiden tells Cleopatra about the lecherous archeologist. Cleopatra tells the handmaiden to go retrieve the guy so they can exact some revenge. She retrieves him. They strip him, put some bondage gear on him, and then take turns paddling him. After that, they tickle him with some feathers. Then morning arrives and the archeologist opens up the tent flap, and the sunlight causes Cleopatra to melt into a pile of what looks like beads.

Porn movie.

Esclave et Pharaon
France/Switzerland, 1985

Luc Lavandier, Christophe Ratendra, Béatrice Roman, Farcy Bern
Directed by Patrick Meunier

Military commander Merikare, son of pharaoh Khetti III (of the '13th Dynasty'), is overpowered by the Hyksos invasion.

I Tut, Tutt's Not a Pharaoh
UK, 1985

TV-series Danger Mouse

Danger Mouse's arch evil villain Greenback sets out to steal an ancient Egyptian amulet which Danger Mouse and his assistant Penfold have been sent to find.

Episode from the animated tv-series "Danger Mouse", which features a mouse superhero secret agent living in a mailbox in London. The series ran for a total of 89 episodes, which were made from 1979 until 1992.

ThunderCats
USA, 1985

  

"ThunderCats" is about a long-running battle between good, the ThunderCats, and evil, the Mutants and their leader Mumm-Ra. The ThunderCats are humanoids with distinct feline appearances, while the Mutants are a rag-tag group of uglies, all of them a form of anthropomorphs. Throughout most of the series the action is set on the planet called "Third Earth", the third age of Earth. Both visual and verbal references to ancient Egyptian culture during the series seem to indicate that the planet is a future version of our Earth. The ThunderCats dwell in a substantial fortress built in the shape of a cat, the Cat's Lair, somewhat similar in design to the Chefren Sphinx at Giza. Their opponent, the evil Mumm-Ra, was once a mighty ruler of ancient Egypt. When death called on him, so did evil. Unable to accept death, he turned to evil spirits to restore him to life. In return they demanded his immortal soul, which become twisted and dark. His once great pyramid became black and isolated, full of evil rage. Thus he became Mumm-Ra, The Ever Living. (summary adapted from Wikipedia)

Animated fantasy sci-fi tv-series based on the characters created by Tobin Wolf. A total of 130 episodes were made between 1985 and 1986.

The Curse of Tutti-Frutti
USA, 1985

TV-series Yogi's Treasure Hunt

Yogi and his crew are sent to Egypt to recover the teasure of pharaoh Tutti Frutti from his tomb before it falls into the wrong hands. Once there they are confronted with the pharaoh's curse!

Episode 6 from the animated tv-series "Yogi's Treasure Hunt" made by the famous Hanna-Barbera studio's. This particular series, one of many featuring the Yogi Bear character, ran for only 27 episodes in 1985-1986. It follows the adventures Yogi Bear and a crew of fellow Hanna-Barbera all-stars on a ship that can operate on water and in air. Their mission: to recover lost treasure, to safeguard the safety of the world, and to prevent whatever item they are seeking for to fall into the wrong hands.

Tut the Second
USA, 1985

TV-series The Littles

  

Henry and the Littles are in Egypt when they get kidnapped and taken to a pyramid. It appears Henry is thought to be the reincarnation of King Tut and is in danger of being kept in the pyramid forever.

Episode from the children television series "The Littles", based on the novels by American author John Peterson. The series ran for a total of three seasons and for a total of 29 episodes.

Desperately Seeking Susan
USA, 1985

Rosanna Arquette, Madonna
Directed by Susan Seidelman

  

Roberta, a housewife desperately seeking adventure in her boring suburban life, becomes obsessed with the 'Susan' she reads about in personal ads in a newspaper and finds herself taking over the identity of this flamboyant temptress. This Susan, however, had unknowingly taken priceless Nefertiti earrings from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is now being pursued by criminals.

The Gods Below
USA, 1985

TV-series G.I. Joe

  

A mission to rescue an archeologist from Cobra's clutches leads the Joes on a strange supernatural journey through the tunnel of an ancient pharaoh's tomb to a confrontation with Osiris, the Egyptain god of the dead.

Episode 41 from the animated series "G.I. Joe" based on the successful toy series by Hasbro. G.I. Joe is the code name for an elite strike force with the primary purpose to be a counterforce to the huge terrorist organization called Cobra which is gunning for world domination. The series ran for two television seasons and 85 episodes.

Eau De Cobra
USA, 1985

TV-series G.I. Joe

Cobra steals an ancient formula for a love potion from an Egyptian tablet. He intends to use it on a shipping magnate, to get control of the world's largest shipping route. Naturally, G.I. Joe plans on stopping Cobra's plan and getting that perfume out of the way.

Episode 38 from the animated tv series "G.I. Joe", about an elite counter-terrorist unit formed to combat the threat of the evil Cobra Organization. Plots generally centered on a Cobra plot or invention of the week, and the Joes' efforts to stop the plan. The series ran for two seasons and 85 episodes between 1985 and 1987.

Mummy Talks
USA, 1985

TV-series Simon and Simon

Directed by Kim Manners

  

A graduate student in Egyptology finds an unreported mummy in the museum basement that she believes is the lost pharaoh Akhenaton. She hires private detectives Rick and A.J. to help her figure out what is going on.

Episode from the detective television series "Simon and Simon" about a couple of private detectives. The series ran for eight seasons from 1981 until 1989.

The Purple Rose of Cairo
USA, 1985

Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels, Dianne Wiest, Danny Aiello
Directed by Woody Allen

  

After losing her job, waitress Cecilia goes to see the adventure movie "The Purple Rose of Cairo" in hopes of raising her spirits. She gets fascinated by the dashing young archaeologist in the film, Tom Baxter. After Cecilia has seen the film several times, much to her surprise Tom Baxter notices her sitting in the audience and walks off the screen and into her life. Romance blooms between them. When news of this gets back to the movie studio, the producers send the real actor who played Baxter to convince his character to get back on the screen.

This romantic comedy, that Woody Allen has said is his favorite, contains a few references to ancient Egypt. In one scene the archaeologist is seen exiting an Egyptian tomb and introduce himself to a group of tourists as "explorer, adventurer. I am doing a little archaeological work. A real-life explorer!" In reference to the title of the movie we also learn that he is "in search of the Purple Rose of Cairo. It is an old legend that has fascinated me for years. A pharaoh had a rose painted purple for his queen, and now the story says purple roses grow wild at her tomb. How romantic". However, his quest is cut short as he is whisked away to New York, so we never learn the outcome.

The Case of the Fouled Up Pharaoh
USA, 1985

TV-series Potato Head Kids

Mrs. Potato Head has assigned her class to do a report on the Egyptian exhibit at the local museum. The Potato Head Kids explore the museum and drive the curator nuts - they are then accidentally locked in for the night and decide to play with some of the costumes they see. After reading about an ancient curse on an Egyptian necklace, they are ambushed by an Egyptian dog creature named Anubis and chased all over the museum. The surprise appearance of a mummified Mr. Potato Head and the quick thinking of Spud reveals that Anubis is actually the museum curator. The curator wanted to steal the necklace and blame its disappearance on the curse. The Potato Head Kids have saved the day and gotten A-pluses on their reports as a bonus. (source: tv.com)

Episode from the children series "Potato Head Kids", which was originally often combined with an episode of "My Little Pony and Friends". "Potato Head Kids" is an outgrowth of the Mr. Potato Head character franchise, which Mr. And Mrs. Potato Head now playing adult figures in the lives of their children and their friends, basically a varied bunch of anthropomorphic potatoes with different personalities.

Phar Out Pharaoh
USA, 1985

TV-series It's Punky Brewster

Rene Auberjonois (voice), Pat Fraley (voice)

  

Margaux buys a necklace that turns out to be an ancient Egyptian artifact. Glomer uses his magical powers to take her and the other kids to ancient Egypt to return it, but there Margaux is mistaken as the princess Tut Tut.

Fourth episode from the television series "It's Punky Brewster", an animated spin off of the live action television show Punky Brewster. The animated version ran for 26 episodes in 1985-1986.

Clémentine en Egypte: La Cité de l'Horizon
France, 1985

TV-series Clémentine

Directed by René Borg

  

Episode 22 of the animated series "Clémentine" about the fantastic adventures of a 10-year-old girl called Clémentine Dumat who uses a wheelchair and travels the world with her family to find a cure that will allow her to walk again. In these travels she occasionally meets famous fictional and historic characters. In this particular episode Clementine meets pharaoh Akhenaten who is about to be overpowered by his enemies, the priests of Amun. She offers to help him. The story continues in the following episode called "le Voyage au Pays des Morts" or "The Voyage to the Land of the Dead" (see elsewhere in this list). The 39-part series was only popular in Europe.

Clémentine en Egypte: Le Voyage au Pays des Morts
France/Japan, 1985

TV-series Clémentine

Directed by René Borg

  

Episode 23 of the animated series "Clémentine" about the fantastic adventures of a 10-year-old girl called Clémentine Dumat. Following the events in the previous episode 22, pharaoh Akhenaten is killed by poison and Clementine is very distressed by this. When she learns he has travelled to the afterlife, where he will live on, she drinks poison be able to join him. On the way she is judged by Anubis who lets her continue her journey without further trouble as he finds she is pure of heart. When Clementine is back in her present time after this adventure, it appears that Tutankhamun's tomb has been found. Clementine mentions jokingly that someone has finally found her husband's tomb. Everyone laughs upon hearing this.

Thomas & Senior en de Grote Goudroof
Netherlands, 1985

Lex Goudsmit, Bart Steenbeek
Directed by Karst van der Meulen

  

After moving to a new town, the young Thomas befriends the old mr. Van Dijk who everybody calls 'Senior'. When Thomas finds a mysterious package that was dropped from an airplane, and Senior is suddenly pursued by criminals who believe he has it, they decide to work together to unravel the mystery behind it. They discover the contents have something to do with a valuable Egyptian treasure that is scheduled to come to The Netherlands for an exhibition. Will they manage to save the treasure and catch the thieves without Thomas' parents noticing anything?

Seven part youth series that ran on Dutch television between 1985 and 1988.

The Riddle of the Sphinx
Загадка сфинкса

Russia, 1985

Directed by Vladimir Pekar (Владимир Пекарь)

  

Story about a young prince called Amennakht, who desires a sacred book that foretells the future, but which is locked away in a tomb. To access the tomb and get to it, he must solve a riddle posed to him by the Sphinx.

This animated short film by Soviet-era animator Vladimir Pekar (1927-1990) was undoubtedly inspired by a combination of the riddle of the sphinx in Sophocles' "Oedipus Rex" and an ancient Egyptian papyrus from around 1270 BC called 'The Book of Dreams', which was found in the ancient Egyptian workers’ village of Deir el-Medina near the Valley of the Kings. The latter is set on the meaning of many different types of dreams, some of which may foretell the future. It is unknown who the original author of this papyrus was, but it subsequently had several owners who added their names to it. One of these was called Amennakht, which is where filmmaker Vladimir Pekar probably got the name of his protagonist from.

Appointment with Fear
USA, 1985

Michele Little, Michael Wyle, Kerry Remsen
Directed by Ramsey Thomas

  

A man under the influence of an ancient Egyptian curse uses astral projection to kill those who protect his baby son from him. A woman and a shady cop try to stop him before he can get to the child and transfer the curse (source: IMDb).

Toutankhaton, le Combat Royal
France, 1986

TV-series Les Mondes Engloutis

Directed by Michel Gauthier

Arkana and her companions meet Tutankhaton, who is about to become pharaoh, and are caught up in a plot by the boy's uncle and the Priests of Amon, who want to seize power and return to worship of the old gods.

Episode from the futuristic French animated cartoon series "Les Mondes Engloutis" ("Spartakus and the Sun Beneath the Sea") about a women named Arkana, who was sent to save Arkadia from the sun’s failure. She is joined by Spartakus (slave rebel), Bob, and Rebecca (brother and sister). English title of the episode: "The Boy Pharaoh". The series ran on Nickelodeon for 52 episodes.

The Egyptian Cruise
USA, 1986

TV-series The Love Boat

Gavin MacLeod, Bernie Kopell, Pat Klous

  

Cruising the Nile ... the Captain and his friend's widow share memories; a producer wants a starlet to play Cleopatra; a woman eyes the gold ankh Doc was given in a bazaar; a busy man may lose his schoolteacher wife to a former student. (source: tvguide.com)

Double episode (numbers 234 and 235) from the highly successful series "The Love Boat", which ran for 249 episodes between 1977 and 1987. Set on the cruise ship "Pacific Princess", the passengers and crew have romantic and funny adventures every week. The series' attraction was in the casting of well-known actors in guest-starring roles as well as genuine legends like Lillian Gish, Helen Hayes and Olivia de Havilland. This particular double episode was acutally filmed on location in Egypt and shows the cast and guests visiting various monuments along the Nile.

The Mummy's Curse
USA, 1986

TV-series The Centurions

  

In Egypt an archaeological dig at the Pyramid of the Lost pharaoh, headed by Professor Egon Sloan, is attacked by super-powerful jackals. The professor contacts Skyvault and requests the help of the Centurions to guard the pyramid from tomb robbers. Later that night, Jake overhears the professor using an ancient incantation to awaken the Lost pharaoh's mummified bodyguards and is knocked out by Hacker. Shadow escapes and alerts the other Centurions, who find out that the professor is working with Doc Terror and intends to use the ancient mummies to help him take over Cairo. As Ace and Max stand up against Terror and his super-powerful mummies, Jake alone is left to defeat them and save the city. (source: tv-show-guide.com)

Episode 26 of the animated science fiction tv-series "The Centurions", about a group of brave men trying to stop the evil Doc Teror and his cyborg companion Hacker destroy humanity and replace it with Cyborg Slaves.

No Pharaoh at All
USA, 1986

TV-series Filmnation's Ghostbusters

Directed by Tom Sito

In Camelot the Ghostbusters team-up with Merlin's apprentice Fuddy in order to battle Sir Trance-A-Lot and recover the next piece of the Stone Tablet. Then they must travel back in time to ancient Egypt where Apparitia and Airhead capture Tracy intent on mummifying him.

Episode from the animated series "Ghostbusters", released after the success of the 1984 motion picture.

Meglio Baciare un Cobra
Italy, 1986

Andy J. Forest, Milly D'Abbraccio
Directed by Massimo Pirri

  

All-american treasure hunter goes out to find the mysterious lost tomb of Cleopatra somewhere out in the Sahara desert.

A G.I. Joe: Arise, Serpentorrise!
USA, 1986

TV-series G.I. Joe

  

After yet another defeat inflicted to the criminal organization by G.I. Joe, Cobra's leader of research and interrogations, Dr. Mindbender, comes with a new plan to collect the genetic material of great warriors and military leaders from the past to create a composite clone that would be the perfect new and poweful leader for Cobra. To set this scheme into motion, among others DNA from the mummy of an ancient Egyptian scholar is used as part of the genome of the composite clone Serpentor. G.I. Joe has very little time to learn of this plot before Cobra becomes that much more a dire threat to the world.

The first two animated G.I. Joe mini-series "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" and "G.I. Joe: The Revenge of Cobra", based on the comic book series from Marvel Comics, ran in syndication from 1985 to 1986. It was followed by a regular series in 1986-1987, of which the first five episodes were later reissued as mini-series "G.I. Joe: The Pyramid of Darkness" and the second five episodes as "the mini-series Arise, Serpentor, Arise!".

The Secret of Mastodon Valley
USA, 1986

TV-series Filmnation's Ghostbusters

Directed by Bill Nunes

  

One of the Ghostbusters' team gets lost and ends up being worshipped by some Egyptians as the ghost of a great pharaoh. The ghostbusters must race to get their act together.

Episode from the animated series "Filmnation's Ghostbusters", which is based on the live-action series "The Ghost Busters" - both developed to profit from the popularity of Columbia Pictures' Ghostbusters francise following the 1984 movie.

Highlander
UK/USA, 1986

Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery
Directed by Russell Mulcahy

  

Born in the Highlands of Scotland in 1518, Connor Macleod is immortal. When he is wounded in battle but does not die, he is banished from his village. He meets another like himself, a flamboyant 2437-year-old Egyptian from Spain who teaches him swordsmanship and the ways of the immortals. Modern-day New York is the location of The Gathering, where Connor and the few remaining immortals must battle to the last for The Prize, as "there can be only one".

Apart from the fact that one of the main characters is an ancient Egyptian in a Spanish disguise with a scottish accent (played by Sean Connery) there is nothing else of Egyptological interest in this film.

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